(a) When it is claimed that any inspected and passed product, marked with an inspection legend, has become adulterated or misbranded after it has been transported from an official establishment, such product may be transported in commerce to an official establishment after oral permission is obtained from the area supervisor of the area in which that offical establishment is located. The transportation of the product may be to the official establishment from which it had been transported or to another official establishment designated by the person desiring to handle the product. The transportation shall be authorized only for the purpose of officially determining if the product has become adulterated or misbranded and making the appropriate disposition. The area supervisor shall make a record of the authorization and such other information which will effectively identify the shipment and shall provide a copy of the record to the inspector at the establishment receiving the product. The shipper shall be furnished a copy of the authorization record upon request.

(b) Upon the arrival of the shipment at the official establishment, a careful inspection shall be made of the product by a Program inspector, and if it is found that the article is not adulterated, the same may be received into the establishment; but if the article is found to be adulterated, it shall at once be stamped “U.S. inspected and condemned” and disposed of in accordance with part 314 of this subchapter, and if it is found to be misbranded, it shall be handled in accordance with §318.2(d) of this subchapter: Provided, That when a product is found to be affected with one of the correctable conditions specified in §318.2(d) of this subchapter, in respect to which rehandling is permitted, it may be transported from the official establishment to another official establishment for such rehandling as is necessary to assure that the product is not adulterated or misbranded when finally released. The transportation of such a product from an official establishment shall be done in a manner prescribed in each specific case by the Administrator.

[35 FR 15605, Oct. 3, 1970, as amended at 47 FR 17274, Apr. 22, 1982]